Sunday, December 21, 2008

Poetry Train Monday - 80 - The Night Before Christmas

For today's Poetry Monday I'm giving you a sneak peek into a song I'm performing on Christmas Eve with my mom and sister.


It's from the Christmas on the Town CD by Halifax's The Novelty Salesmen, a huge favorite of ours.


This is Mom and me singing away last Christmas Eve. After Auntie Noel's luscious lobster bisque dinner, which I wait for all year, we move into the music room for some Christmasey fun.

That's Auntie behind us with her flute, waiting on a cue. Uncle Charlie is at the keyboards behind Mom.


That's my sister singing a song last year.



This is my cousin's daughter with her granddad (my Uncle Charlie) playing her flute.


And this is my fellow blogger Heather's daughter Emily, with Julianne's daughter Laura giving us a tune. I can't wait for this year's program!



CLICK HERE to listen to the song. On the sample player, scroll down 9 selections until you get to The Night Before Christmas.

The bold lines are sung by the bass (in our case, Mom) and the lines in italics are sung by the tenor (in our case, me.)


The Night Before Christmas (arranged by Paul Simons)


(It was the night)

Night before Christmas

(And all)

All through the house

(Not a creature)

Creature was stirring, not even a mouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In the hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there

(What a night, what a night)

Mom in her kerchief

(And I)

I in my cap
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer


(What a night!)

Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen!

(What a night!)

Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen!

(What a night!)

What a night, what a wonderful night
It's one fantastical, fabulous night!

(What a night, what a pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
What a pa-pa-pa Pa-pa Pa-pa-pa-pa
What a night)



With a little old driver, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot

So up to the house-top the reindeer all flew
With a sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas, too

More rapid than eagles

(What a night, what a night)

His reindeer they came

(What a night, what a night)

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!


(What a night!)

Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen!

(What a night!)

Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen!

(What a night!)

What a night, what a wonderful night
It's one fantastical, fabulous night!

(What a night, what a pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
What a pa-pa-pa Pa-pa Pa-pa-pa-pa
What a night)



He spoke not a word

(What a night, what a fabulous night)

But went straight to his work
And filled all the stockings

(What a night, what a fabulous night)

Then turned with a jerk

And laying a finger

(What a night, what a night)

Aside of his nose
And giving a nod up the chimney he rose

He sprang to his sleigh

(What a night, what a night)

To his team gave a whistle
And away they all flew

(Like the down of a thistle)

But I heard him exclaim

(What a night, what a night)

As he drove out of sight
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"


(What a night!)

Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen!

(What a night!)

Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen!

(What a night!)

What a night, what a wonderful night
It's one fantastical, fabulous night!

(What a night, what a pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
What a pa-pa-pa Pa-pa Pa-pa-pa-pa)


Merry Christmas...

- original poem by Clement C. Moore, this arrangement by Paul Simons

Check out the other stops on the Poetry Train.

11 comments:

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

What fun, Julia! It's so awesome to see scenes like this take place in real life, not just in movies.

I am officially jealous.

Wylie Kinson said...

You need my 'thumpety thump thump' son to add to your choir!!

I'm with SHG - officially jealous of your too-good-to-be-true musical family. ;)

Unknown said...

I don't have a musical bone in my body. That said, I still love to sing Christmas carols.

Merry Christmas to you and all your family, Julia.

HUGS!

Akelamalu said...

What a musical family! When I was a child we always went to my aunts on Boxing Day where all the family would gather and inevitably the evening would turn into a musical interlude or what we call here 'A sing-song'! LOL

Thomma Lyn said...

How sweet. Your Christmas posts make me smile. What a delightful, fun family you have! :-D

Travis Cody said...

How wonderful to have a tradition of music in your family. Our tradition is football. LOL!

Jeeves said...

Pretty pictures. Merry christmas

Annette Gallant said...

I love that your family does this, Julia. It's looks like so much fun. No wonder you can't wait for Christmas Eve.

So glad I ran into you yesterday. Hope the shopping went well. :-)

Karina said...

Julia!!! Oh how I've missed you. I popped over here to say Merry Christmas and found that you have a whole new blog look. LOVE IT!!!

Also, that is one of my favorite poems of all time, and I love the song, thanks for the link!

MERRY MERRY Christmas!!!!!

Anonymous said...

WOW- I cannot sing to save my life. This is beautiful to listen to and so creative. I love knowing you're doing this as a family, Julia. What a treat! thx.
(here from Poetry train.)

Anonymous said...

I can do a hell lot of things but singing? No!

Merry Christmas!

all in a days work